Louisiana bowler rolls perfect game

SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Kimberly Wiget of Lafayette, La., enjoyed the experience of a lifetime when she rolled a perfect game at the USBC Women's Championships on Tuesday.

The 43-year-old right-hander got off to a superb start in this year's team event at the Oncenter Convention Center by tossing 12 consecutive strikes in her opening game. She added games of 194 and 223 for a 717 series.

Wiget's 300 was the third of the 2011 Women's Championships and the 15th in the tournament's 92-year history. Erin Lenahan of Lincoln, Calif., and Dede Davidson of Buellton, Calif., rolled the other two in April.

"It's really special to do it here," said Wiget, who will turn 44 on July 12 and owns one other 300 game. "It's so hard to bowl here, so to bowl really well and get a 300 is really satisfying. I wanted this one. If I was going to do it, I wanted to do it here."

Wiget knew she released a solid offering on her final ball. She stared down the lane and watched the ball hit the pocket. When a stubborn 4 pin got tripped out, she jumped up and down on the approach to celebrate her milestone.

"I was very confident that I threw a good ball," Wiget said. "Walking straight was my biggest problem along with following through. The lanes were right where I wanted them, and I knew where to put the ball."

To cut the tension between shots, Wiget stood behind the settee area and talked to her Strikes & Spares teammates.

Wiget's mother and teammate, Joyce, sat with her back to the lanes before Kimberly threw her final ball. After Kimberly released her shot, Joyce turned around to see all 10 pins scatter. Joyce also was present for Kimberly's first 300 game in 2009.

"I couldn't look," Joyce Wiget said. "This is her second 300, and what a place to do it."

Wiget helped Strikes & Spares to a 2,768 handicap team total. They competed in the Ruby Division, which is for teams with a combined average of 750-899. Handicap is 100 percent of 900.